Colchester United have clung on to gain a valuable three points in the race for survival in Sky Bet League Two against Salford City this afternoon.
Noah Chilvers struck the only goal of the game with a deflected effort midway through the first half, before resolute defending ensured that the U’s would claim all three points against the Ammies.
Ben Garner named an unchanged starting eleven to that of Monday’s thumping 4-0 win over Crewe at the JobServe Community Stadium. Tom Smith was handed his second consecutive start after keeping a clean sheet on his Football League debut on Monday; Luke Chambers, Fiacre Kelleher and Connor Hall lined up as central defenders flanked by Junior Tchamadeu and Connor Wood.
Arthur Read and Ossama Ashley were once again paired up in the middle of the park, with Noah Chilvers playing in a slightly advanced role. Two-goal hero from the last game John Akinde was rewarded with another start alongside Samson Tovide at the attacking end of the pitch.
The only changes to the matchday eighteen were amongst the substitutes; Kieran O’Hara recovered from a back injury to take his place on the bench alongside Marley Marshall Miranda with the duo taking the places of Cole Skuse and Tom Hopper.
The U’s enjoyed a bright opening fifteen minutes, twice going close to breaking the deadlock early on in the contest. John Akinde saw an early toe-poke pushed around the post by Alex Cairns before Noah Chilvers went even closer after quarter of an hour.
The U’s top scorer this season ran challenge-free through the middle of the field before taking aim with a low left-footed effort that cannoned off the foot of the woodwork. Luke Chambers couldn’t quite convert from the corner, but it was danger for the home side early on.
Less than ten minutes later, the U’s would have a deserved lead as Noah Chilvers found the back of the net with his eighth of the campaign. Like his effort that struck the woodwork a few moments prior, Chilvers was allowed the space and time to pull the trigger from the edge of the area, with his shot taking a slight deflection before nestling in the bottom corner.
Chasing promotion to League One, Salford City weren’t going to lay down and hand the three points to the U’s as they started to put the pressure on Tom Smith’s goal. A couple of times before the break, Colchester struggled to clear their lines, but a poor header from Matthew Lund and a mis-hit shot from Matt Smith alleviated the pressure on Ben Garner’s team.
The fourth official indicated there would be three minutes of stoppage time – enough for Callum Hendry to force an excellent save out of Tom Smith. The Arsenal loanee was quick off his line to shut down the angle for the Salford striker, deflecting the effort wide with his thigh before the half-time whistle signalled.
Colchester had a nervy start to the second half, with two close calls in front of goal. Ibou Touray delivered a dangerous low cross that had to be scooped away by Kelleher, and from the resulting corner, Matt Smith flicked a header just wide of the far post.
Quickfire chances fell to Hendry and McAleny, but thankfully for the U’s the Salford attackers lifted their efforts over the crossbar – but the hosts were spending more and more time in dangerous areas as the half progressed.
A flurry of bookings were issued around the hour mark, with Tovide, Ashley and Vassell all carded by the officials as the two teams made their first changes. John Akinde was withdrawn, with Alex Newby coming on for the last thirty minutes, while Matthew Lund was swapped out for Stevie Mallan for the hosts.
Another change soon followed for the hosts as they looked to get back into the game. Liam Shephard was replaced by Aston Villa loanee Louie Barry with twenty minutes to play – and it was a nail-biting final few minutes for the U’s.
Noah Chilvers came up with the goods with a goal-line clearance with fifteen minutes to go to deny Hendry, with another change following just after.
Arthur Read’s afternoon came to end and Marley Marshall Miranda was introduced to battle for the last minutes.
Tom Smith slipped at the vital moment, and seemingly handed an opportunity to the hosts, but was quickly back to his feet to block and hold McAleny’s cross into the unmarked penalty area.
But the moment of the second half belonged to Luke Chambers who rushed out to get in a superb block from the edge of the penalty area, illustrating the resilience shown by Ben Garner’s side throughout the afternoon.
Five minutes of stoppage time crept by, but the U’s would not surrender their advantage. It gave Ben Garner his second consecutive win as Colchester’s Head Coach, giving them forty-five points from forty-two.
Now six points clear of the drop with four games to go, the U’s could all but secure their EFL status on Tuesday evening when they travel to Crawley Town in the next League Two action.
Salford City starting XI: Cairns, Touray, Watt, Lund (Mallan 61’), Hendry, Mariappa, Smith, McAleny, Bolton, Shephard (Barry 68’), Vassell (Morton 82’).
Subs: Bellagambi, Lowe, Mallan, Galbraith, Barry, Leak, Morton.
Colchester United starting XI: Smith, Chambers, Chilvers, Kelleher, Read (Marshall Miranda 75’), Ashley, Tchamadeu, Wood (Greenidge 86’), Akinde (Newby 61’), Hall, Tovide (Sears 86’).
Subs: O’Hara, Greenidge, Sears, Newby, Jay, Marshall Miranda, Fevrier.
Attendance: 2,333 (223)